Devices such as pressure washer, air compressors, electrical generators, and garden tools such as lawnmowers and the like, and which are used in both commercial and residential applications, typically have a fluid reservoir such as a crank case, transmission housing, gear box or other enclosure which contains a quantity of fluid such as lubricating oil, transmission fluid or the like. Routine maintenance of these and other similar devices necessarily requires that a quantity of fluid in these fluid reservoirs be periodically drained and then be replaced from time-to-time. The draining and replacing of this fluid, however, can become a messy and inconvenient task due to the location of such fluid reservoirs on these devices. These prior art powered devices, of various designs, typically include a small displacement internal combustion engine having a quantity of oil residing in the crank case thereof. For purposes of this disclosure, such an engine is typically referred to as a “small engine” although other devices with fluid reservoirs may comprise two cycle engines, electrical motors or other engine configurations.
Typically, a manufacturer of one of these prior art powered devices will purchase a small engine, separate from a functional component such as a pump, to be driven by the small engine. The manufacturer will then mount the small engine, and the functional component together, on a chassis, as part of the final assembly. In order to provide a sturdy chassis, as well as keep the manufacturing costs as low as possible, the chassis on which the small engine and the functional component are mounted is frequently a solid metal platform. Although the chassis can also compromise an open framework such as might be seen on a common roto-tiller, lawnmower or the like.
Typically, in powered devices of this type, the fluid reservoir for such devices which may comprise a crank case, transmission gear box or other enclosure, includes a drain outlet which is located, usually, in a very elevationally low position relative to the fluid reservoir so as to ensure that the maximum amount of fluid can be removed from the fluid reservoir when draining same. To remove a portion, or all of the quantity of a fluid from a fluid reservoir, for example, the drain plug is threadably removed from the drain passageway or outlet, of the fluid reservoir, and then a quantity of the fluid flows through the drain outlet. When the draining process is complete, the standard threaded drain plug is threadably advanced back into the drain outlet of the fluid reservoir, and a source of new fluid is delivered back into the reservoir through another conduit, or fill passageway.
In automotive engines, the drain outlet is normally located at the bottom of the engine. This permits the oil to drain from the lowest possible location when the standard, threaded drain plug is removed. However, in small engine applications, and the like, and since a small engine is typically mounted on a solid metal platform or chassis as discussed, above, a bottom drain outlet is usually impractical. Such a bottom drain outlet configuration would normally require that the assembler of a resulting finished product to provide for an opening in the chassis in order to facilitate access to the drain outlet and the standard threaded drain plug. Additionally, and in applications for powered devices such as a roto-tiller, for example, a bottom drain outlet would be difficult to access due to the presence of the tines of the roto-tiller which are usually located beneath the engine. Consequently, small engine manufacturers and others, have taken to orienting or otherwise providing a drain outlet on the side of the engine, and at a location which is as low as possible so as to permit the maximum amount of fluid, such as lubricating oil, to be drained from the engine, and without requiring the manufacturer to accommodate a bottom drain outlet. FIG. 1, as provided herewith, shows an exemplary device which uses a small engine of the type described, above. The device, as depicted, is a pressure washer which pumps water at high pressure through a hose for purposes of washing sidewalks, and the like. The device includes a pump which is driven by a small engine. The pump and engine are integrally mounted on a platform which is depicted in the drawing as a solid platform. Located towards the bottom of the engine is a fluid reservoir which is enclosed within the engine crank case. A drain outlet is located at the lower side of the fluid reservoir or crank case. It should be immediately apparent that when a standard threaded drain plug is removed from the drain outlet, the lubricating oil will immediately pour out across the chassis. Beyond the obvious problems this presents in collecting the messy fluid, it also requires a significant amount of clean up time to remove any remaining fluid from the device. It also results in unnecessary human exposure to the fluid. Further, this arrangement also presents an environmental hazard.
Some solutions to this problem have been offered by the manufacturers of such prior art devices. However, they do not practically resolve the problems. For example, tipping the powered device on which the engine is mounted in the direction of the drain hole while draining the crank case may help direct fluid run off to one edge of the chassis. However, it is difficult for one person to perform this act, alone, and the results are less than ideal. Further, because of the proximity of the drain outlet to the chassis, the positioning of a container near or under the drain outlet is difficult. Unless the device is tipped on its side, it is of little, or no value in collecting the draining lubricating fluid.
Likewise, providing a hole in the chassis near the drain outlet does not seem to help much in view of the fact that the fluid tends to course or drain out of the drain hole quite quickly, and often time by-passes the hole on the chassis when the standard threaded drain plug is initially removed. Moreover, providing such a hole or aperture in the chassis seems of little help especially for a device having a significant, under platform, component such as tines of a roto-tiller or the blade of a lawnmower, for example. Additionally, positioning the engine closer to the edge of the chassis typically is not an option inasmuch as it would result in an uneven weight distribution of the components on the chassis, and may not even be possible depending upon the configuration of the device to which the engine is to be coupled.
Thus, what is needed is something which permits a source of fluid, such as a lubricating oil, to be easily drained from an inconvenient drain outlet which is made integral with a fluid reservoir, such as a platform mounted side drain and crank case arrangement, as illustrated, and which further allows the fluid to be easily collected into a fluid receptacle while producing minimal spillage of the fluid on the implement or in the immediate environment.
The Office's attention is directed to my previous patented invention entitled “Oil Drain Line” [U.S. Pat. No. 6,145,623], the teachings of which are incorporated by reference herein. While my previous invention addresses many of the shortcomings identified in the prior art practices, my previous device still requires that a segment of flexible tubing be left coupled to the fluid reservoir at all times. Further, the Office's attention is directed to my U.S. application Ser. No. 11/156,209 and which was filed on Jun. 17, 2005, now abandoned.
In comparison to the teachings found in my prior art patent, the present invention provides a substantially more secure means of selectively permitting the transfer of fluid from an associated powered apparatus which includes a fluid reservoir. Further, the present invention also does not require that a flexible tube be coupled to the device at all times. The present invention, therefore, is a significant improvement over my prior invention as will be understood from the following description and accompanying drawings.